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HELHEIM SCANS
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Chapter 135
The aura, atmosphere, and feeling she exuded.
Instinctively, I blurted out the first name that came to mind.
“The Moon Watchers?”
At my question, she flinched.
Then, she pulled out another sword hidden within her robe.
Dual-wielding… Not an easy technique to master.
I couldn't tell whether her silence was an affirmation or a denial.
That meant I had no choice but to find out by clashing with her directly.
I slowly unsheathed my blade and took a step forward.
KAAANG!!!
At the same moment, her sword and mine clashed in an instant.
She blocked it?
Until now, my attacks had never been stopped this easily.
Her ability to slip through openings in my attacks was unbelievably refined.
No, it was beyond refined—it was familiar.
“You shouldn’t be in a condition to push yourself this hard. Didn’t you just overextend your power?”
It was then that she said something completely unexpected while locking blades with me.
It wasn’t just a simple observation that I must be exhausted from using a powerful spell.
No, her words clearly implied that she knew about the recoil of my ability.
“Oh? Now that’s interesting.”
THWACK!
I twisted my sword to pull her toward me, then immediately kicked her away.
“You’re not just some ordinary member, are you?”
KAAANG!!!
The moment I unleashed my suppressed power and swung my sword, she responded with a similar level of strength.
“……”
That confirmed it.
The woman in front of me was at least on par with my current strength—perhaps even more.
Judging by her seasoned combat instincts, she seemed more mature rather than young.
Fighting at this level was impossible without having survived countless battles on the brink of death.
She wielded her twin swords with expertise, constantly attempting to exploit the delay between my attacks to launch a counteroffensive.
Was she holding back her power to avoid causing unnecessary destruction?
Whenever I conserved my strength, she did the same.
Yet, even as we held back, our attacks grew sharper and deadlier.
Each time our blades clashed, I gathered massive amounts of information.
Her strength, her level of experience, and other subtle details.
If she was truly a warrior of her caliber, then at least half of the information I was gathering was likely deceptive.
“Want me to step in?”
As Luna stepped forward, seemingly deciding to join the fight, both the Moon Watcher and I instinctively widened the distance between us and withdrew.
At the same time, a small crack formed on the edge of her mask, and strands of red hair slipped out from beneath her hood.
“This is getting out of hand. If we keep going, this place will turn into a disaster zone.”
The moment I lowered my sword, she casually tossed her twin swords into the air.
As if knowing their place, the swords dissolved into thin air.
“You’re with the Moon Watchers, aren’t you?”
“……”
“Looks like it. And judging by the way you carry yourself, you’re probably someone high up in the hierarchy. Let me ask you just one thing—why did you kill them?”
At my question, she ran her fingers through her hair and stared at me through her mask.
“They were people who deserved to die. Or those who would have.”
“And who decides that?”
“I have no interest in making you understand.”
I wasn’t planning to argue moral philosophy with her.
People who could be persuaded by words wouldn’t be in this line of work in the first place.
“Was it Professor Viviane that you killed in the forest?”
“……”
Silence again.
Which meant yes.
“Look, I don’t particularly want to make enemies of the Moon Watchers. You guys helped me before. But if you’re going to kill someone in front of me, I need an explanation.”
“Am I obligated to give you one?”
She was free to withhold answers.
But just as she had her freedom, so did I.
“If you don’t, then we keep fighting. And if this place turns into a battlefield, you’re the one who’ll have a harder time.”
“……”
A brief silence.
Then she turned her back to me.
“Professor Viviane was responsible for the anomalies in the Black Forest. She may not have intended for all the side effects, but if she hadn’t been stopped, the Black Forest would have turned into a classified disaster zone.”
No wonder the atmosphere in the forest had felt strange even before the Red Moon incident.
But if that were the case, surely there had been a way to contain the situation without killing her.
“Was it really necessary to kill her?”
“She had to die. This wasn’t just about this incident—she was the kind of person who would’ve plunged the continent into crisis for her own gain.”
Killing someone for something they hadn’t even done yet?
What a ridiculous bunch.
“That’s absurd. You’re killing people over things that haven’t even happened yet, and you think that’s justified?”
“I never asked for your understanding. But if we had let her live, a catastrophe would have followed.”
“Then what about him? Same reason as Professor Viviane?”
Silence again.
Another yes.
Was she telling the truth?
I didn’t dwell on it for long.
Judging from what happened in the Black Forest, Professor Viviane was clearly an insane person.
I made my decision carefully.
“Go. I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything.”
“You’re letting me go?”
“I owe you. Meryl Dyne—she’s one of yours, isn’t she? Thanks to her, I was able to rescue my sister quickly in the Berner territory.”
At my answer, she looked at me for a moment, as if in disbelief.
Then she spoke.
“I’ll come find you again.”
“I’m not exactly thrilled about dealing with your group.”
She gave me a cold stare.
Then, suddenly, her body turned translucent and dissolved into the air.
Magic?
No, this wasn’t magic. I
t felt… different.
This world still had many things I didn’t understand.
* * *
Meryl Dyne, a member of the Moon’s Watch, approached quickly upon seeing the robed figure tear through space and emerge from the darkness.
"You have returned, Leader."
"Report."
"We discovered, interrupted, and eliminated the cultists' ritual."
"Professor Viviane is dead. Remove her from the list. And dispose of her corpse as well."
"Understood."
Meryl responded briefly, her expression firm as she gazed at the masked woman before her.
At the same time, a man standing beside Meryl hesitantly spoke.
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"Would it not have been better to handle it back then? Many of our members were hidden on standby at the scene…"
Meryl shook her head, and the leader replied quietly but chillingly.
"If you had acted, all of you would have died. The situation would have spiraled into disaster. They already knew about every single one of you."
"That…"
The man looked bewildered, struggling to believe the leader's words.
Sensing this, Meryl cautiously offered her own thoughts.
"In that case, wouldn’t it be better to join forces with him…?"
"Meryl Dyne, I made myself clear, didn’t I?"
"Yes, I understand. If things go wrong, he is the most dangerous person… But the one I saw didn’t seem like—"
"Yes. That’s what everyone thought. That working with him might lead to a better outcome."
"Then…"
"And that’s exactly why we cannot afford to leave variables unchecked. Remember, our goal isn’t just to kill someone."
"It’s to prevent destruction."
* * *
It was only natural for the situation in the Black Forest to cause an uproar.
Luna and I were currently visiting the academy’s headmaster’s office.
"Welcome, Leon Cascadia, and I believe it's Luna, correct?"
"A pleasure to meet you, Headmaster."
"Please, have a seat. It would be impolite to keep guests standing."
He gestured for us to sit on the sofa, and we did so silently, meeting his gaze.
A Sixth Circle mage.
I could distinctly sense the six mana rings within his core.
"I have reviewed the circumstances. There is something I must do."
The headmaster gave a brief bow.
"Thank you for saving the students."
"As someone responsible for their safety, I had no intention of being negligent. Frankly, using the Demonic Realm as a test site was a bit reckless."
"You are correct. It had been safe for over a decade, so we grew complacent. I deeply regret it."
As he set down a cup of tea with a pleasant aroma, he asked,
"Is there anything else you wish to add about what happened there?"
His question implied he was looking for details that may not have been captured on record.
"There is nothing more to say."
"Then what about that creature?"
"It was something called a Faker Voice. A rare entity, even in the Demonic Realm. You’d usually have to venture deep inside to catch a glimpse of one."
I gave a vague explanation.
Frankly, I had never come across any records on creatures like the Faker Voice or the Void Gluttony that I had previously encountered.
If anything, they were entities that existed only in ancient times.
Though Luna seemed to know more about them.
"In truth, I’d like to ask if you could keep this matter under wraps."
"I understand. The academy hosts students from the Empire and many other nations, after all."
"Rumors are unavoidable, but an open scandal would be disastrous. Given the potential chaos this incident could cause, I believe it is best to handle it quietly."
"Will I receive anything in return?"
At my question, the headmaster looked at me silently before responding.
"Is there something you desire?"
"Not really. I didn’t do it expecting compensation. Professor Rommel is my sister’s mentor, so I was simply helping out. Consider it a favor for now."
If I wanted, I could push for a reward, but I didn’t feel the need to.
At times like this, it’s best to let the debt linger.
Even if I’m fine with it, they won’t be able to ignore it.
"Hmm… I understand. I won’t pry any further, but… may I confirm just one thing?"
"Go ahead."
"Are you two… really human?"
I didn’t even need to think about the reason behind that question.
It was a slightly rude inquiry, but the headmaster’s expression was serious.
"If I say yes, will you believe me?"
"Honestly, I’d still have my doubts, but what choice do I have? If you say so, then so be it. At the very least, you are not an enemy to us."
There was nothing more to say.
After finishing our conversation with the headmaster, we set out to leave the academy with Isna, who had recovered.
The moment her treatment was complete, she eagerly resumed moving about, ensuring we weren’t drawn into unnecessary commotion.
However, after hearing the news, Mielephon’s attendants and maids stormed in and forcibly dragged her back to her family home.
Come to think of it, wasn’t she under house arrest for causing trouble before she ran away?
Recalling how she flailed and pleaded for me to save her like some poor soul being dragged off by a vengeful spirit, I figured things would be quiet for a while.
"Huh? What the—? Frilled-neck lizard, why are you here?"
As I was walking through the mansion after returning via Melissa’s dormitory, I spotted Melissa wiping sweat off her face, seemingly fresh from training.
Her eyes widened in surprise upon seeing me.
She must have thought I was still in quarantine.
"Here, take this."
I handed her the reinstatement confirmation I had received from Professor Rommel.
As she read through it silently, her expression crumpled.
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HELHEIM SCANS
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